Burning Question: My Bloody Valentine Vs Mercury Prize

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My Bloody Valentine frontman Kevin Shields hit out at the Mercury Music Prize in the wake of this year's nominations, claiming that his band were effectively "banned" from the competition as first album in 22 years, m b v, was not released on a major record label nor made available on Amazon or iTunes.

“It's interesting to learn that to be as independent as we are is … virtually illegal", he said when speaking to The Guardian. "It's not a real record. Our album's not a real album because it's independent. The corporate-ness has got to such a point where we've essentially been told that we don't exist. So, technically, that album doesn't exist. OK? It's not allowed to exist according to the Mercury prize.”

My Bloody Valentine to record new EP this autumn

DOWNLOAD: Remix of My Bloody Valentine's 'Sometimes'

Portuguese glitch merchant Sun Glitters has come up with this rather gorgeous remix of My Bloody Valentine’s seminal Loveless tune, ‘Sometimes’, which also features input from his Canadian pal Rob Boak of Cinemascope fame. Enjoy!

My Bloody Valentine back in the studio

Kevin Shields returns

Loveless

I wonder if My Bloody Valentine were aware of the avalanche they were about to trigger when they first took Belinda Butcher's airbrushed vocals and smothered them with layer upon layer of white noise guitar?

Valentine Days

Dublin is a shithole basically! that's the opinion of Kevin Shields, one of the two Irish members of My Bloody Valentine, who quit the fair city six years ago because of what they saw as the stifling atmosphere of the place. Since then they've lived and gigged all over Europe and their 1988 album Isn't Anything has put them on top of the critical approval lists and independent charts. Here, taking a break from their US tour, the band reflect on their art, their careers and what they see as the general awfulness of the Irish music scene. Interview: Helena Mulkearns